Research on Artificial Intelligence, Machine and Deep Learning in Medicine: Global Characteristics, Readiness, and Equity
Open accessAbstract
Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) will have a lasting and drastic impact on medical research and healthcare. In addition to the benefits, the associated risks are also the subject of controversial debate and there are fears of serious consequences. There is an urgent need for action, which must be underpinned by scientific information. Methods: By analyzing temporal and geographic patterns, including national readiness for access to AI, we therefore identified incentives and barriers to global research under socioeconomic conditions. Results: The explosive increase in annual publications started in 2017. The main players in AI med research were the USA, China, the UK, Germany, and South Korea. There was a significant correlation between the publication output on AI in medicine (AI med) and the metrics for economy and innovation. Additionally, citation patterns show the disadvantage of the Global South compared to the North American and European countries. In several weaker economies: Jordan, Pakistan, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia, a more positive position was found in relation to the number of articles suggesting a better ranking in AI med research in the future. Conclusion: The results show the need for advanced global networking to ensure all relevant aspects for equitable development and the beneficial use of AI med without promoting racial or regional inequities and to enforce this not only in the AI systems of economically strong countries but also for the participation of economically weaker countries.
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High-income and low-income nations retain unequal access to medical AI tools.
“Medical AI publications grew rapidly after 2017, with research output tracking national economic and innovation capacity even as high‐income and low‐income nations retain unequal access to these tools [3].”
Medical AI publications grew rapidly after 2017.
“Medical AI publications grew rapidly after 2017, with research output tracking national economic and innovation capacity even as high‐income and low‐income nations retain unequal access to these tools [3].”
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- Authors
- Klingelhöfer, D., Braun, M., Dröge, J., Groneberg, D. A., & Brüggmann, D.
- Affiliations
- Goethe University Frankfurt (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Klingelhöfer, Doris
- Venue
- Globalization and Health
- Published
- 2025-06-08
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 36-36
- ISSN
- 1744-8603 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC12147299
- OpenAlex
- W4411126638
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 1
- FWCI
- 3.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Globalization and Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Publication Server of Goethe University Frankfurt am Main (Goethe University Frankfurt) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › scientometrics and bibliometrics research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Health Informatics › Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Diverse Approaches in Healthcare and Education Studies
- Keywords
- artificial intelligence in healthcare, Global South, publication trends, citation patterns, innovation indicators
- MeSH terms
- Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Humans, Global Health, Biomedical Research
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